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Page 4
Separating Solids (student handout continued)
Separating Sand and Salt
Purpose:
How do you separate a mixture that contains two solids/substances when one of them is soluble (salt) and one of them
is insoluble (sand)?
Materials:
• Dry sand/salt mixture (25 cm3)
• Water (no more than 25 ml)
• Plastic "beaker"
Procedure:
1. Label the 2 cups with you and your partner(s) names.
2. Place 25 cm3 of dry mixture into a plastic beaker (fill sand to 25 mL line using the spoon).
3. Zero your scale with an empty cup—pour the mixture in the cup, get the MASS of the DRY MIXTURE ONLY.
Record the Mass Here:_______________
4. Return the salt/sand mixture to the plastic beaker.
5. Add water to the graduated cylinder to approximately the 25 mL line.
6. Pour the 25 mL of water into the plastic beaker with the mixture.
7. Stir the water and mixture for 30 seconds.
8. Wait 60 seconds for the particles to "settle" to the bottom.
9. Decant the liquid part (solution) from your mixture into your a labeled cup. Scoop the remaining wet sand into the 2nd cup.
10. Take a picture of both cups, place cups by windowsill, and return materials/clean up.
11. In a few days, check the cups and find the mMAaMn of the dry substances.
• Spoon
• Graduated Cylinder
• Cups (2)
• Scale
